What Are the Income Requirements for Medicaid?

Medicaid is a state-operated, federal-and-state-funded health insurance program for qualifying low-income elderly and disabled individuals, pregnant women, and children. Income limits that must be met for eligibility vary among states.

Federal Poverty Line

• The federal poverty line is used to determine eligibility for state Medicaid programs. Depending on the state and specific type of Medicaid, the federal poverty line figure for determining eligibility varies. Contact your state's Medicaid office to discover what the exact requirements for eligibility are given your circumstances. The National Association of State Medicaid Directors maintains a listing of contact information for each state's Medicaid program (see Resource section).

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

• In most states, if you receive SSI, you automatically qualify for Medicaid. If you receive SSI, you are excluded from having to pay a spend-down in all states.

Earned Income

• If you have earned income, such as income from self-employment earnings or wages, you may be eligible for a MedWorks program. These programs typically have a much higher income limit. However, if your income exceeds a certain amount, you will be required to pay a monthly premium for coverage.